Building our domestic church one day at a time

Ah… My little Three Year Old, Tia.

Last night as we were cuddling, my three year old asked if she could watch a show on TV. I said no, so she asked me to tell her a story.

Now, as any mother knows, sometimes “Tell me a story” is a LOT harder than it sounds sometimes. Sometimes we are tired. Sometimes we are not creative. Sometimes we just get writers block.

Last night was one of those times.

I sat there for a minute trying to think of some stories I knew. I discarded some of the over told ones (bye bye three little pigs), and I started to think if I knew any newer ones. I tried to stumble through the Christmas story, but to integrate the pre-Christmas stuff was just too much for me last night. So, I decided to start with just SOMETHING.

“Once upon a time…”(think think think)

“There was a… girl…”(cripes, what girl stories do I know?)

“Her name was….”
(Think of a good name! I should know SOME… I have had four girls for Pete’s sake)

“Tia.”
(oh man, now this better be AWESOME since I am using her name)

At this point, Tia looked up at me beaming. She was so excited to hear a story about HER! I smiled and continued.

“The little girl was magic.”

*Tia’s voice here* “Am I magic???”

“Well, you see it is a special kind of magic. This little girl could make people smile just by being around her.”

From here on in she was so proud to be this little girl. I told her a ‘story’ that was basically just a run down of the day, but she was amazed by it. Captivated. I ended with:

“And the little girl yawned, was very tired, got into her pajamas and went to bed.”

*Tia* “Sounds like she is a big girl.”

“Yep, she is starting to be…”

And to my amazement, she got up, got in her pjs and went to bed.

Since then she has been asking me to tell her more and more “Tia stories”. So I tell her the funny ones of when she was little, and the mundane ones of regular days, and the exciting ones of the future. And she loves it. Every minute of it.

So I thought about my life, and about how much I need to appreciate the “Catholic Momma” stories of my everyday experience. About how I have “magical” abilities to cook dinner, and bring smiles. How even my seemingly mundane days are great stories in the book of my life.

I am so, so grateful for the gifts that my children bring me. Even when it is reminding me of things like this. I thank God every day for them.